Prison terms could double to 10 years
A new Senegal anti-LGBT law proposal introduced by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko could double the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years.
The draft legislation was submitted to parliament on Tuesday following cabinet approval last week, amid a wave of arrests over alleged same-sex relationships, which are already criminalised under Senegalese law.
Addressing lawmakers, Sonko said the bill would punish what it describes as “acts against nature” with prison terms ranging from five to 10 years, compared with the current one- to five-year penalties.
“If an act is committed with a minor, it will attract the maximum penalty,” he said.
Broader criminalisation and fines
The Senegal anti-LGBT law would define any sexual conduct between two people of the same sex as an “act against nature”.
It also proposes prison sentences of three to seven years for anyone found to be promoting or advocating same-sex relations. In addition, the draft prescribes separate punishment for those who accuse others of homosexuality “without proof”.
Those convicted under the proposed law could face fines of up to 10 million CFA francs (approximately $18,000 or £13,000).
Sonko said the revised legislation would retain the offence at its current misdemeanour level, arguing that the intended objectives could be achieved without elevating the acts to more serious criminal classifications.
Wave of arrests and political backdrop
Debate over LGBT rights has long generated tension in Senegal, a predominantly Muslim and socially conservative country, where some groups portray pro-LGBT activism as foreign interference.
Earlier this month, police detained 12 men, including two public figures and a prominent journalist, under existing anti-LGBT laws. Local media report that around 30 people have been arrested in total this month.
Religious organisations have staged demonstrations in recent years calling for harsher punishments.
A date has not yet been set for parliament to vote on the Senegal anti-LGBT law, in a chamber controlled by Sonko’s Pastef party. Sonko, appointed prime minister in 2024 after emerging as a prominent opposition figure, had pledged to criminalise same-sex relations more strictly.
International reaction
Human Rights Watch said the recent anti-LGBT crackdown violated “multiple internationally protected rights,” including equality and nondiscrimination.
Several African countries have introduced similar measures in recent years. In September last year, Burkina Faso’s transitional parliament approved a bill banning homosexual acts, following similar legislation in Mali in 2024.
In 2023, Uganda enacted some of the world’s harshest anti-homosexual legislation, including provisions allowing the death penalty for certain same-sex acts.
Also read: US winter blizzard kills two, disrupts flights and power
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
